Sam Instone

Sam Instone (born 3 August 1977) is a British businessman and the founder and chief executive of AES International, a financial services firm. He is known for advocating regulatory governance, transparency, and core values within the financial sector, particularly following the 2008 financial crisis.
Career
Instone graduated with a degree in from King's College London and trained at the The Royal Military Academy Sandhurst. He subsequently served as an Airborne Officer in The Household Cavalry Regiment. In 2004, he founded AES International in Geneva, initially providing financial services to individuals in hazardous professions before expanding to broader international markets. The company relocated to London in 2007 and then to Dubai in 2010.
Instone has been recognized for applying military principles to business management, a methodology referred to as "militology." His approach has been studied at institutions such as Aston Business School and EDHEC Business School. In a 2013 article, The Economist described Instone as "the field-marshal of finance," highlighting his strategy of applying military doctrines to business leadership.
He has contributed as a commentator on financial industry practices, including an appearance as an expert witness in the BBC Panorama episode "Who Took My Pension?" which explored pension mismanagement and high fees.
He has been a regular columnist for The National for almost 10 years, where he writes about behavioral finance, ethics, and financial well-being. Instone has also been featured in the Financial Times discussing regulatory changes and challenges facing international financial advisers in the Gulf region.
His work and influence have been cited by Amazon bestselling author Andrew Hallam, both in his book Millionaire Expat and on his website, where Hallam references Instone's industry insight and even recounts an anecdotal incident involving the Queen of England as a humorous example of his colorful background.
In 2023, Instone was featured in episode #248 of the podcast Inspiring Leadership with Jonathan Bowman-Perks MBE, where he discussed his leadership philosophy, military influences, and vision for ethical financial reform.
Personal life
Instone is a descendant of Sir Samuel Instone (1878-1937) the shipping and aviation entrepreneur and the founder of the Instone Air Line. He has been involved with The London Polo Club and The London Polo Academy. He married Kate in 2006, and they have three children. His sister is English artist Alice Instone.

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